THOUGH the bank unions were confident of straightening out the wage issue by mid-July, the talks between IBA and the representatives of the officers' organisations have not made much headway.

The talks were resumed after a gap of two months on July 2 in Mumbai. According to union sources, IBA refused to budge on its offer and accept any upward revision in salary. Distressed by the prolonged delay in resolving the wage issue, the officers' organisations are contemplating to resort to direct action.

In the case of the workmen's union, mobility was an issue that had to be sorted out. It is reliably learnt that IBA had, instead of making a fresh offer (on the quantum of financial package), linked the mobility issue of the award staff to officers' demand for a hike in salary. This pre-condition (on the issue of mobility of award staff) has upset the officers' organisations, which perceive this as `delaying tactics'.

Aggrieved by the developments, the United Forum of Bank Unions has called for a meeting on July 13 to chalk out the future course of action, including strike, to force the issue of overdue salary revision.